Apparatus and method for quick pain suppression

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for quick acute and chronic pain suppression, particularly useful and effective towards high-grade pains and/or pains resistant to other analgesic drugs such as opiates. One apparatus and method generate synthetic “non-pain” information strings of great clinical effectiveness, allowing high reproducibility of the clinical result. Synthesis of the strings occurs by combining novel geometries of complex waveforms in a sequence, perceived as “self” and “non-pain” by the CNS.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for alleviating pain comprising:
 a controller for generating electrical signals, wherein the electrical signals are generated by selecting a sequence of pre-determined waveforms, selecting a frequency for each waveform of the sequence, setting a duration for each waveform of the sequence, and selecting an intercycle pause for the sequence such that the electrical signals are not monotonous; and   at least two electrodes operatively connected to the controller for delivering the electrical signals to a patient's body.   
     
     
         22 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the controller includes a main module for controlling operation, a synthesizer module for overseeing the digital/analog conversion of the sequence of waveforms, and at least one channel output module for carrying out a further analog processing of the sequence. 
     
     
         23 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the electrical signals a delivered on skin of the patient's body so that surface receptors in polymodal nerve fibers of a nervous system carry the electrical signals as non-pain information to suppress chronic and/or neuropathic pain. 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the pre-determined waveforms are a set of sixteen different waveforms, each different waveform having a periodic and predetermined pattern over time. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising a data storage memory module operatively connected to the controller and including a first probabilistic criterion and the controller selects an arrangement of the pre-determined waveforms using the first probabilistic criterion. 
     
     
         26 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the first probabilistic criterion entails a selection of the pre-determined waveforms depending on a specific probability to create a plurality of packets, wherein the specific probability varies dynamically for each new packet generated. 
     
     
         27 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 25 , wherein the first probabilistic criterion is dynamically modified according to a first probabilistic filter stored in the data storage means based on rules stored in the data storage means to vary a selection probability of each of the pre-determined waveforms. 
     
     
         28 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the synthesizer module comprises a microprocessor and a first digital/analog converter adapted and configured to convert the electrical signals into an analog signal corresponding to the sequence. 
     
     
         29 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 28 , wherein the said synthesizer module further comprises a second digital/analog converter adapted and configured to produce a modulating signal based on a pre-programmed signal used as reference for the first digital/analog converter, thereby carrying out an amplitude modulation of the electrical signals. 
     
     
         30 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising:
 a first circuit operatively connected to the controller for filtering and amplifying the electrical signals;   a second circuit operatively connected to the controller for feedback-adjusting a current level of the electrical signals; and   a third circuit operatively connected to the controller for safety electric decoupling.   
     
     
         31 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 30 , further comprising: a fourth circuit operatively connected to the controller for amplitude modulation of the electrical signals, the amplitude modulation being cyclically activated. 
     
     
         32 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising a series resistor operatively connected to the controller for limiting a maximum current delivered to the patient's body so as not to exceed 9 mA for safety. 
     
     
         33 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , further comprising circuitry connected to the controller for allowing modification of stimulus amplitude to adapt the electrical signals to a sensitivity of a patient. 
     
     
         34 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the controller includes a computer. 
     
     
         35 . An apparatus as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the sequence is selected from sixteen different waveforms grouped into four groups such that selection of a waveform from within each group is initially equiprobable but after selection, a first selected waveform has a zero probability of selection until a different waveform from the same group is selected, at which time the first selected waveform probability of selection is restored to 33%.